PLO on Killing Collaborators

Daniel Williams’ article “PLO Said to OK Killing of Arab Collaborators” (Part I, May 1) is yet another reminder of what the true intentions are of Yasser Arafat and the Palestine Liberation Organization. In the last 17 months, dozens of Palestinian Arabs have been murdered, hundreds have been injured, many critically, and personal property has been destroyed. These attacks have increased since Arafat’s statement in Geneva last December supposedly renouncing terrorism.

Flyer No. 38 of the PLO’s Unified National Command, which was distributed in the territories on April 11 and broadcast on the PLO radio station, confirms the PLO’s intention to continue this trend of terrorism against its own people. This flyer calls upon the residents to mark April 26 as the “Day of Judgment” against those suspected of cooperating with the Israeli authorities, and instructs the “assault groups” and others to “punish those who break rank” with the PLO’s policies. By these actions, the PLO is showing that it is interested more in imposing its own will than in allowing the residents the opportunity to express themselves freely.

The period between March 30 and April 17 provides an illustration of violent intimidation by the PLO. During this period, more than 20 attacks were carried out against Palestinian Arabs in the territories.

Ever since his Geneva press conference in December, when Arafat supposedly renounced terrorism and supposedly recognized Israel’s right to exist, his words have been accepted around the world at face value. However, a close look at the facts shows that this is not the case.

The PLO has not abandoned the course of violence and terrorism since Geneva. Numerous infiltration attempts into Israel by various PLO factions, which adhere to the Algier’s decisions of the PNC, show that the PLO persists in its “armed struggle” against Israel.

Arafat’s promises are worthless not only regarding Israel and its citizens, but also regarding his own Arab brothers and sisters in the territories. The recent violence against Arab citizens by PLO members is being conducted with the full consent and approval of the PLO leaders--including Arafat--making them accessories to murder which is yet another manifestation of the true character of the PLO--which none should be deceived by.

ILAN MOR

Consul for Press and Information

Consulate General of Israel

Los Angeles